Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A crime syndicate in the United States: "Cosa Nostra" refers to a specific organized crime network operating in the U.S., structured into distinct family groups.
   • The American Mafia: It is the term used for the Italian-American Mafia, believed to have significant connections to the original Sicilian Mafia.

Usage and Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The FBI has been investigating the activities of Cosa Nostra for decades.
  • He was rumored to be a high-ranking member of Cosa Nostra.

Advanced Usage

• The term "Cosa Nostra" is often used in historical, legal, and journalistic contexts to refer specifically to the hierarchical, Italian-American organized crime institution.
• It is typically used with the definite article "the" (e.g., ), though it can also stand alone as a proper name.

Variants and Related Words

• The Mafia: A more general term for organized crime groups of Sicilian or Italian origin, which can include Cosa Nostra.
• The Mob: A colloquial synonym often used interchangeably with "Cosa Nostra" or "the Mafia" in American English.
• Organized crime: The broad category of criminal activities coordinated and carried out by groups, which includes groups like Cosa Nostra.

Synonyms

• The American Mafia
• The Syndicate (in specific crime contexts)
• The Crime Family

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Made man": A phrase associated with Cosa Nostra, referring to a fully initiated member of the organization.
  • After the ceremony, he was a "made man" in Cosa Nostra.
• "Omertà": The code of silence and secrecy historically associated with Cosa Nostra and similar groups.
  • He was killed for breaking omertà and cooperating with the police.

Noun

1. a crime syndicate in the United States; organized in families; believed to have important relations to the Sicilian Mafia